Any suggestions on how to make one that's refillable? I need to stay very light when I travel so I want to be able to pack it empty, then fill it with dried peas, coffee, sand, etc. when I get where I'm going.

If you use a waterproof vinyl material for one side and water resistant nylon for the other, you can use it to get really low shots on moist ground and not worry about wet fabric later. It also cleans up easier. I love bean bags for steading cameras.

If you put a zip in the fabric bag you can then insert a ziplock bag as a liner and fill it with dried lentils, pearl barley, rice, and split peas, then you will have an emergency meal as well. If needed as food, add water to the ziplock bag and allow it to soak and soften, then tip it in the billy to cook it. Just the thing to add to a wildlife photographer's survival kit!

super slacker version I built, which has held up for years: fill a stretchy men's dress sock (I don't know where it came from, but there was one lone one in my sock drawer!) halfway with dried beans, tie a knot in it and fold the remaining unfilled top section down over the filled part. That's it. Took about 1 minute.

If you are travelling internationally with your camera, you may well choose not to use any seeds in your bean bag.. Border Control might not like it.. Why not use polystyrene beads? Otherwise a brilliant idea. I am in New Zealand and we are paranoid about any live plant matter crossing our border.. we dont even like dirt on your shoes.

might help the hand stitching at the end.... if you make the "hole" in the middle of the end / side then you don't have to work with the corner. as for the "look better" stitch you can do a whip stitch or a latter stitch. You could even use contrasting thread and have it as a design element. Thanks for the great tutorial. Think I'll have to make one very soon!

I think that would be called a blanket?LOL If you could even attach the bean bag to the blanket. that way they stay together. There is something called a quillow (sp). but it is simply a blanket with a pillowcase sewn to the middle of the blanket.For the quillow you would only sew about half the pillowcase to the middle(ish) of the blanket , then when your finished laying on it you fold the sides in towards the middle and fold up from the bottom and when you get to where the pillow is you can tuck the folded portion into the pillow case. But in the case of the bean bag you could place the bean bag in the pillowcase part then the folded blanket and the blanket would keep the bean bag from falling out. Well it works in my head, I have not actually made one yet.

Just whipped one up quickly! Fortunately, I do have a sewing machine, so it was a cinch. I took pencilneck's tip on using an old pair of blue jeans and I decided to stuff it with dried lentils 'cause I didn't have any peas. :3